Why Ratatouille is Pixar's Magnum Opus

"Chef Gusteu died from sadness because Ego gave him his one bad review, costing him one of his stars" Linguine to Ego: "My name is Linguine Gusteu, you killed my father. Prepare to dine."

It makes sense when Remi asks Gusteau: "why would Linguini be filed with your will?", and Gusteau responds with "this used to be my office" because Gusteau is simply a figment of Remi's imagination, so of COURSE he wouldn't be able to give him new information, as he just tells Remi things he already knows! This is reiterated at the end of the movie when Remi is stuck in the rat cage after being captured by Skinner, and Remi says "you just tell me things I already know, I know who I am!"

fun fact: ratatouille was considered a peasant dish, which makes ego's story alot more sad, he BECAME so egotistical because of his past and only let that egotistical side down after reliving all of the good memories from that time

I feel like the scene where all the chefs walk out after Linguini exposes Remi to them isn’t talked about enough. Of course because it’s Disney and all, you expect that the chefs are going to embrace Remi or at least come around eventually, but they don’t. They just look at Linguini like he’s crazy and then walk out never to be seen again because that’s how any normal person would react to finding out that their leader is being controlled by a rat. It’s such a real and organic scene that you don’t see often in animated movies. As a kid it took me a while to understand why they reacted that way.

Imagine how insecure linguini has to be to say " Its not much " TO A RAT

I interpreted the pen drop as him having no words to describe what exactly he's feeling about what he just ate. A man who made his entire career from using his words as weapons is now left with nothing to say. He has no words for how he's feeling, it's a feeling he can't possibly describe in the way that he can describe the criticism he became so egotistical over.

Something I noticed when Colette waits at the stop light and turn to the shop with Gusteau's book on display "Anyone can cook", she also looks at herself in the reflection of the window and remembers how to talented she is to be cooking in the male dominated kitchen.  This is when she when she truly recognizes Remy for what he is, not a rat but a cook. An artist.

16:36 To add onto this, even if Remy DID want to break the language barrier, he can't. Because it was shown earlier in the movie, when the old lady was trying to shoot him and Emile, he was clearly yelling to Emile, but to a human like the old lady, his yelling was just a bunch of squeaks

You forgot mention after Anton Ego eats Remy's dish you see color on his face. Every scene we see him in he's pale and cold. But after eating the ratatouille he looks alive like all the color came back from whence he was a child.

"Why would Linguini be in your will?" "This use to be my office." "That doesn't answer the question." I'm pretty certain thats the point. Think about it. Chef Gusto is a figment of his imagination. He wouldn't have the answers any more than Remy would. So instead he just parrots back what he already knows, rather than answering the question. If his imagination wasn't personified by the image of Gusto, then his response would be, "I don't know." But because its in the image of Gusto, I'd also be weird for him to say something like, "I don't know." So instead he avoids the question all together and says something that has nothing to do with the situation but is also something that Remy already figured out in the first place. Its weird but it makes sense.

I unironically love the chase scene. It supports my theory that Skinner or whatever his name is is just having a mental deconstruction and doing drugs

I really like the way linguini became a waiter that skates at the end. His entire character is that he's not good at anything other than being a rat's puppet, but when the scene happened it showed that even him have something that only he can do.

I love the Ratatouille scene so much Ratatouille was established as a “peasants dish”. Something small and insignificant. Yet after Remy let’s go of his ego, he decides it’s the best dish to make for the acclaimed and cold critic. He doesn’t make something big and bold and difficult but instead makes a dish with his heart in it. Everyone looks at it with skepticism, believing it was foolish to do so, because they believe Ego is above such a lowly meal. Skinner, Colette, and Ego all thought it was crazy. “Ratatouille? But it’s a peasants dish” “Ratatouille? He must be joking!” But when Ego takes a bite, he’s transported back. He forgets his wealth, his status, and his ego and just remembers a time where he loved food. Where his passion for food began. Where he began. And he finds a love for food again. A love of praising the good instead of tearing everyone down. Color returns to his face, as does his smile he lost long ago. It’s truly poetic and I adore it so much.

Something i'd like to add that might make that moment when Ego eats the Ratatouille even more amazing. If you remember from earlier in the film, as Colette is teaching Linguini how to cook she berates him and says "You think cooking is a cute job, like mommy in the kitchen?" then ends with her stating "Every second counts and you CANNOT BE MOMMY" and yet when Ego took a bite he was instantly flung back to the time when he was a kid eating a meal that was made, just the way mother use to make it. Of all the meals he ate in his career, the type of meal that satisfied Ego was one made in a way that most chiefs won't even consider making.

An excellent little detail is how Remy washes his hands in the soup scene and when all rats take over the kitchen there's a scene of rats getting steam cleaned. Being critters in the kitchen the animators chose to still show importance of cleanliness

Another thing I love about ratatouille is that it never got a sequel. It has an amazing conclusion that does not need to be continued. The story closed off and that's it. No continuation, and that's satisfying.

"Anyone can cook." "Except Linguini"

Schaffrillas: "Obviously, half-silent duos have existed plenty of times before this movie" proceeds not to show a clip of Doofenshmirtz and Perry

Ego always struck me as a very lonely man. To see him find connection at the end of the film, knowing he’s a regular, seeing him take life in… His arc is so poignant.

The fact that the bee movie came out the same year as ratatouille is crazy, the animation in ratatouille is so genuinely timeless whereas the bee movie just screams late 2000s movie